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The number of cigarette breaks you are legally allowed to take during a shift at work

Posted on Monday, October 23rd, 2017

Published by MrFinch

Once an hour or perhaps every two? Will anyone even notice? It can be a controversial topic, but these are your rights to smoking at work

If you’re a smoker, are you legally entitled to a few minutes a day out of the office for a quick cigarette break?

It’s a question that divides many offices – with those without the habit claiming it’s simply unfair to give smokers that extra time out.

But legally, what does the law say?

The answer is no. Fag breaks aren’t a legal entitlement, however, ‘rest breaks’ are – and your employer can’t technically refuse you one.

That’s providing you’re within your minimum hours and the relevant time frame.

There’s no statutory right to ‘smoking breaks’.

However, workers in the UK are legally permitted to one ‘rest break’ whilst at work – this can be a tea break, lunch break, cigarette break or whatever you want it to be.

The break must be at least 20 minutes in length, providing you have worked six hours or more that day. Additional breaks may be offered by your employer in your contract or handbook.

It’s worth noting that employers aren’t obliged to pay for you for this time out, it depends entirely on their terms of employment.

Types of breaks you are entitled to

‘Rest breaks’ – lunch breaks, tea breaks and other short breaks during the day
‘Daily rest’ – the break between finishing one days’ work and starting the next (for most people this is overnight between week days)
‘Weekly rest’ – whole days when you don’t come into work (for many people this will be the weekend)

The second and third types of break are almost never paid, unless you’re ‘on call’. The first type is often paid but your employer is not legally obliged to do so.

Smoking is forbidden within workplace premises, however organisations are allowed to have ‘smoking areas’.

They do not have to provide a smoking shelter but if they do, it must comply with legal requirements.

If your job is organised so that you can’t take breaks, or if your employer doesn’t allow you to take them, you should first raise the matter with your manager, or HR department.

If you have an employee representative like a trade union official or health and safety representative, they can take up the matter for you.

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), more people than ever are replacing tobacco with vape, with 2.9 million people currently using an e-cigarette and the number of traditional smokers down 4% since 2010.

Electronic cigarettes are made to mimic the act of smoking, there is no actual tobacco, but instead just nicotine. The devices do not need to be lit up as they’re battery operated. They also produce a vapour, rather than traditional smoke.

Vapes fall outside the scope of smoke free legislation as the act of smoking requires a substance to be burnt. As a result, it’s up to the employer whether they choose to allow or ban e-cigarettes, and similar products, in the workplace